article

[ahr-ti-kuh l] /ˈɑr tɪ kəl/
noun
1.
a written composition in prose, usually nonfiction, on a specific topic, forming an independent part of a book or other publication, as a newspaper or magazine.
2.
an individual object, member, or portion of a class; an item or particular:
an article of food; articles of clothing.
3.
something of indefinite character or description:
What is that article?
4.
an item for sale; commodity.
5.
Grammar. any member of a small class of words, or, as in Swedish or Romanian, affixes, found in certain languages, as English, French, and Arabic, that are linked to nouns and that typically have a grammatical function identifying the noun as a noun rather than describing it. In English the definite article is the, the indefinite article is a or an, and their force is generally to impart specificity to the noun or to single out the referent from the class named by the noun.
6.
a clause, item, point, or particular in a contract, treaty, or other formal agreement; a condition or stipulation in a contract or bargain:
The lawyers disagreed on the article covering plagiarism suits.
7.
a separate clause or provision of a statute.
8.
Slang. a person.
9.
Archaic. a subject or matter of interest, thought, business, etc.
10.
Obsolete. a specific or critical point of time; juncture or moment:
the article of death.
verb (used with object), articled, articling.
11.
to set forth in articles; charge or accuse specifically:
They articled his alleged crimes.
12.
to bind by articles of covenant or stipulation:
to article an apprentice.
Origin
1200-50; Middle English < Anglo-French, Medieval Latin articulus article of faith, Latin: joint, limb, member, clause, grammatical article, equivalent to arti- (combining form of artus joint; akin to arthro-, arm2) + -culus -cule1
Related forms
subarticle, noun
Examples from the web for article
  • Writing the letter was, of course, a way of not working on the article.
  • Throughout its history, the magazine focused on America's unfolding culinary scene, pitching articles toward an upscale audience.
  • He's even writing an article about it.
  • He's never published a scholarly article or taught a college course.
  • The first number contained no fewer than 29 articles, and 252 pages.
  • Here are details on the cheesemakers profiled in this article.
  • The article caused a sensation.
  • Liberty was the second article of our covenant.
  • Read the article and check out some fantastic photos.
  • This article confirms my suspicions.
British Dictionary definitions for article

article

/ˈɑːtɪkəl/
noun
1.
one of a class of objects; item: an article of clothing
2.
an unspecified or previously named thing, esp a small object: he put the article on the table
3.
a distinct part of a subject or action
4.
a written composition on a subject, often being one of several found in a magazine, newspaper, etc
5.
(grammar) a kind of determiner, occurring in many languages including English, that lacks independent meaning but may serve to indicate the specificity of reference of the noun phrase with which it occurs See also definite article, indefinite article
6.
a clause or section in a written document such as a treaty, contract, statute, etc
7.
in articles, formerly, undergoing training, according to the terms of a written contract, in the legal profession
8.
(often capital) (Christianity) See article of faith, Thirty-nine Articles
9.
(archaic) a topic or subject
verb (transitive)
10.
(archaic) to accuse
Word Origin
C13: from Old French, from Latin articulus small joint, from artus joint
Word Origin and History for article
n.

c.1200, "separate parts of anything written" (e.g. the statements in the Apostles' Creed, the clauses of a statute or contract), from Old French article (13c.), from Latin articulus, diminutive of artus "a joint" (from PIE *ar-tu-, from *ar- "to fit together;" (see arm (n.1)).

Meaning extended to "a small division," then generalized to "item, thing." Older sense preserved in Articles of War "military regulations" (1716) and Articles of Confederation (U.S. history). Meaning "literary composition in a journal, etc." (independent, but part of a larger work) first recorded 1712. Meaning "piece of property" (clothing, etc.) first attested 1796, originally in rogue's cant.

Slang definitions & phrases for article

article

noun

A person, esp one considered to be clever, cute, or resourceful; number •Always preceded by an adjective or by the locution ''Quite an'': He is some slick article/ Your little sister's quite an article